” The real lesson from Europe is actually the opposite of what conservatives claim: Europe is an economic success, and that success shows that social democracy works…”
„… But what European experience actually demonstrates is the opposite: social justice and progress can go hand in hand.”
Read more in NY Times
I have found a video about what really means „public option” in Health-care Reform
The highest TEXAS 25.1%
Massachusetts 5.5 % and USA 15.4 %
Am semnat petitia „A Christian Creed on Health-Care Reform” oferita de „Sojourners” si o copie a acesteia a fost trimisa membrilor din Congresul American din zona in care locuiesc. (Aveti posibilitatea sa vedeti si sa semnati aceasta petitie AICI
Am fost onorat si placut surprins sa primesc un raspuns prin e-mail de la senatorul republican John McCain. Am un deosebit respect pentru domnia sa,pentru respectul care il arata fata de adversarii sai politici.
Dear Mr. Lucescu:
Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts and concerns regarding health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
Our nation’s health care system affects every aspect of American life and every component of our nation’s economy, accounting for approximately a sixth of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Also, as you are likely aware, health care spending has risen dramatically in recent years, far outpacing inflation, leaving countless families with difficult decisions about providing care for loved ones. Even Medicare, the vital safety net program for 45 million seniors and disabled individuals, is facing fiscal insolvency and higher out of pocket costs for beneficiaries.
This is simply unsustainable. Health care costs are rising and, if left unaddressed, will undermine Medicare and private insurance. Private insurance currently covers about two-thirds of all Americans and if these programs are undermined or eliminated, it could potentially add to the 48 million Americans currently without any form of health insurance. While the prospects of health care reform are daunting, it must be done, but done right, and in a truly bipartisan fashion.
I believe that there are four pillars that should help guide reform: affordability, portability, access, and quality. No one piece is more important than another, but taken together, I believe that we can create a health care system that can provide affordable, quality health care coverage for all Americans.
Our reform efforts should create a system that enables people to access affordable health coverage that includes high quality health care. Americans want to be able to choose their doctors, coverage, and care, and to have the freedom to seek employment that is not dependent on whether or not insurance coverage is provided. I believe that we can reform the current system to achieve this goal without turning to a government-run plan which would lead to rationed care, creating delays in treatment and eliminating consumer choice.
An increasing amount of our health care dollars and resources are directed towards treating chronic conditions such as heart disease and obesity. Therefore, any new reform must also encourage prevention initiatives that work. Medicare and Medicaid payment systems must also be reformed to promote prevention.
In addition to improving medical care and reducing costs, I believe our health care system should use health information technology to improve efficiency and quality in health care, and that we should find ways to reduce the number of medical malpractice lawsuits, which drive up the cost of health care and make coverage more expensive.
During the recent mark-up of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee’s health reform bill, I supported an amendment which would prevent health care providers from being required to participate in abortions if doing so would violate their personal moral and ethical convictions. As you may know, I have consistently opposed measures which encourage or lead to more abortions, including the use of any federal funding for abortions.
I was also a strong proponent of an amendment that would have required Members of Congress to participate in the proposed public health plan if one is enacted into law. If the health care reform legislation that is being considered becomes law, it would force millions of people to give up their current forms of health care coverage and participate in the government run program. I believe that Members of Congress cannot expect these individuals to participate in this new public program if they are not willing to enroll themselves and their families in the same program.
On Wednesday, July 15, 2009, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved the Affordable Health Choices Act on a party line vote of 13-10. I voted against the legislation because it does little to actually lower health care costs and still leaves 34 million people uninsured. The actual final cost of this legislation to our country and its taxpayers is still undetermined, but the Congressional Budget Office has stated that the bill substantially expands federal responsibility for health care costs without addressing the critical changes necessary to reduce the anticipated federal health spending. While I understand the need for reform and will continue to support meaningful measures that will lower costs, improve access to quality health care and expand coverage, I cannot support this bill in its current form because it spends too much, taxes too much, leaves too many people uninsured and does nothing to drive down health care costs.
Again, thank you for sharing your views on this important issue. Please be assured that I will continue to keep them in mind as Congress considers legislation to reform our nation’s health care system. Feel free to contact me on this or any other matter.
Sincerely,
John McCain
United States Senator
Q. Isn’t health reform going to put more burdens on federal and state governments because we will be covering more people without insurance?
A. Controlling health spending is critical for the fiscal health of the federal government and the states. For example, health care spending today consumes 30 percent more of state and local budgets than it did 20 years ago, forcing governments to choose between cutting services and raising taxes.
And the Council of Economic Advisors recently released a sobering report on the impact of health care spending on the federal government. It found that if we do nothing by 2019,
Health care expenditures will be 21 percent of GDP—one fifth of our economic output.
Spending on Medicare and Medicaid will be 8 percent of GDP.
Nineteen percent of the non-elderly population, or 54 million Americans, will be uninsured. The cost of caring for the uninsured burdens all of us. Families with insurance pay a hidden tax of $1000 to cover the cost of uncompensated care in this country.
For working Americans who rely on employer-sponsored health insurance, rising costs mean that an even greater proportion of their compensation will be in the form of health benefits rather than take-home pay. In ten years, the estimated percentage of average total worker compensation that comes in the form of health insurance will be 26 percent.
In addition:
Resources that are devoted to health care cannot be used to provide the other goods and services that Americans want, including education, investment, and infrastructure.
The federal deficit will continue to rise and, if meaningful health care reform is not enacted, more painful choices about how to deal with our unsustainable fiscal situation will be unavoidable in the future.
That is why the President has been clear that he will not sign a health care reform bill unless it is deficit neutral and on a stable trajectory as the decade ends.
We have to expand coverage and bring down costs for families as well as transform health care so that it costs less and delivers high quality in years to come. Adding more people to a broken system will only cost us more in the long run. Read more
Obiectivul reformei sistemului medical din America
ASIGURARE INGRIJIRE MEDICALA PENTRU TOTI CETATENII
Va recomand cu caldura articolul „Reforma sistemului american de sanatate „ AICI de pe blogul domnului Ph D Danut Manastireanu. Veti gasi trimiteri la alte resurse crestine despre acest subiect, precum si comentarii interesante.
SIGN „A Christian Creed on Health-Care Reform ” Here Petition
For those who do not need or want health-care reform „9 Secrets Health Insurers Don’t Want You to Know” HERE
9 secrets :
1. Don,t pay if you don,t have a say
2. You may be eligible for more coverage
3. To get tested talk up your symptoms
4. Stall first answer question later
5. Letters are you best bet
6. Doctors can be good weapons
7. A little research can go a long way
8. There are ways to get drug cheaper
9. An advocate can help you to win
Maybe afther wathching this video they will change their mind.
Daniel Lucescu 